THE RIDE STUFF | Efteling's Pagode, which rises to some 150 feet above the ground then slowly revolves.
Tjeerd Knier

ONLY WHEN I became a parent could I fully appreciate how cruel grocery stores are to display a wall of candy at checkout, just when you're at your most vulnerable—tired and distracted, with no other way out with the kids.

Though I haven't visited any of the DisneyDIS-0.02% theme parks with my children, I imagined it would be like the candy trap times a thousand. Endless temptation. Little negotiating space. A marathon of rejection and guilt. "No, I will not buy you another Ariel figure. No, you may not eat a third cupcake at the princess breakfast."

Our two girls, 6-year-old Cosima and 4-year-old Paloma, have been begging to go to Disneyland since my mother planted the seed about a year ago. I am not a total killjoy—eventually, we'll go. But last fall, we tried an alternative that promised a more old-fashioned, less commercial experience: Efteling, a historic 160-acre fun-park about an hour south of Amsterdam.

I learned about Efteling, which made its debut in 1952, from friends who visited the park with their two boys and were enchanted. They described a place filled not with princess boutiques and endless lines, but old trees, fire-breathing mechanical dragons, whimsical mushroom sculptures and interactive fairy-tale displays.

One brisk evening, we pulled into the lot at the Efteling Hotel. Our first impression of the park's only inn was less than magical—the four-story hotel was next to a highway; despite its four lighted turrets, it looked more like a '90s Days Inn than a fairy-tale castle.

‘Instead of high-tech frills, the sets offered old-fashioned charm. ’

Matters quickly improved after check-in. The hotel has several themed quarters, including the Snow White suite, with seven child-size "dwarf" beds, and the Cinderella suite, with an extra room-cum-diorama featuring an enormous pumpkin sculpture. We'd opted for a basic family room, $100 a night less. It was newly renovated, with some delightful touches. A dancing shoe from Hans Christian Andersen's "The Red Shoes" was tucked in a closet for the kids to find, and a faux mouse hole, complete with mouse figurine, was set into a baseboard between the two queen-size beds. We had dinner in the hotel restaurant, where guests could reserve a table surrounded by thrones. A nearby playroom let kids climb and slide as they waited for their meals. Our children considered the food (sausages and pasta) the height of deliciousness; we adults, who could choose from a mix of international dishes, not so much.

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The talking Fairytale Tree

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The Flying Dutchman water ride

The next morning, we looked out the window to see a pagoda-esque ride rising over the trees, as well as the tops of several roller coasters. A quick walk from the hotel down a tree-lined avenue brought us to a side entrance to the park.

Like a slow-working enchantment, Efteling revealed itself at a leisurely pace. At first, it seemed as though we were strolling through a meticulously landscaped European park from the past. (As it was a weekday in October, we also had the place almost to ourselves.) On one side of the path was a lake straight out of a Seurat painting, and an expansive lawn where visitors could picnic. On the other side was a large square with several old-fashioned merry-go-rounds and a bunch of quaint wooden stands selling French fries and poffertje, Dutch-style pancakes. A little monorail called Funny Folk made for a compelling first ride: The cars glided over and through thatched-roof homes straight out of a Peter Jackson film, and afterward, the girls spent almost 30 minutes exploring the buildings from the ground, discovering slides and net bridges, mechanical hobbit bakers and a water mill.

"Pap-peer here! Pap-peer here!" a voice trilled as we wandered back through the square. Set into a wall was a giant, cherubic fiberglass face with a round mouth—a clever enticement to recycle. A boy ran over and held up a crumpled bag; it was immediately sucked into the vacuum-powered mouth. Amazed, our girls started to hunt around for garbage to feed the paper gobbler.

Ninety percent of Efteling is given over to gardens, forests and sand dunes. The park also includes many contemporary features, such as water rides and roller coasters. But the girls were impatient to enter the Fairytale Forest, the heart of Efteling. The 12-acre maze of beautifully detailed dioramas was designed by one of the country's most beloved painters and illustrators, Anton Pieck, and engineered by Peter Reijnders, a famous Dutch film director and inventor. In American terms, it's a little bit as if Norman Rockwell had teamed up with Tim Burton.

We walked through an entry gate set in an almost impenetrable wall of greenery and followed a narrow, shaded path lined with knee-high polka-dotted mushrooms piping out a Bach minuet. First stop: Sleeping Beauty, a stone castle the size of a two-story house, covered in ferns and climbing vines. The girls ran up the stairs, past a life-size, snoozing mechanical guard and found the princess dreaming on a bed behind a window.

The Lowdown: Efteling, the Netherlands

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Getting There: Multiple airlines fly direct from the U.S. to Amsterdam. From there, take a train to 's-Hertogenbosch, then a taxi 30 minutes to Efteling. Or, rent a car at the airport and drive about 65 miles south.

Staying There: The park offers two lodging options. The Efteling Hotel has 122 rooms, including 22 fairytale-themed suites, and is best for stays of one or two nights (from about $540 a night, including park entry and breakfast for four, efteling.com). Efteling Village Bosrijk is a recently built complex of cottages with kitchenettes that makes sense for big families and longer visits (from $620 for a minimum two-night stay).

Visiting the Park: Efteling is open all year round, though hours are shorter in winter (from July 1 through August it is open until 8 p.m.) Admission for the over-4 set is $44 when purchased online.

Eating There: More than a dozen restaurants are scattered throughout the park. Some of the best are a new pancake spot, Polles Keuken; the Italian-focused Octopus; and Welkom, which serves a selection of organic dishes. Don't miss the poffertje (tiny Dutch-style pancakes) sold at snack cottages.

What the dioramas lacked in high-tech frills, they made up for in old-fashioned charm. Some, like the Hansel and Gretel cottage, where a witch with a pinched face opened a window and threatened onlookers, reminded me of the Christmas windows my parents used to take me to see in New York. Others seemed almost alive. The talking Fairytale Tree fascinated the girls with its realistic movements, animatronic inhabitants—including a woodpecker and a spider—and tales (despite the fact that it spoke Dutch, of which my kids understand not a word). Our girls eagerly ran from one set to the next, exploring every nook. Even my husband marveled at a turbaned mystic that floated over a moat on a magic carpet.

Though the girls knew the figures weren't real, one installation did induce tears (at least from my 4-year-old)—Snow White, where the visage of a scary witch was projected onto a mirror. Of the 28 fairy tales depicted in Efteling, 15 are from the Brothers Grimm; the others are from Hans Christian Andersen and more obscure sources. The modern versions of stories have been scoured of blood, beasts and fangs, and we sometimes forget how gruesome some of the originals were. I'm game for offering children a little creepiness, even if it means doing some explaining. Besides, what's a few tears? At Efteling there were no crowds; I barely noticed a souvenir shop. We gasped at our lunch bill—not because it was so expensive, but because sandwiches and apples in a charming cafeteria cost less than $20.

There was an unpleasant side to Efteling: The way dark-skinned people were depicted. At a carousel-like ride called Monsieur Cannibale, for instance, an enormous figure wore a chef's hat on his head and a spoon through his nostrils—a racist throwback to the days of the Dutch East India Company that made for more explaining.

We finished our day with a dinner of heart-shape pancakes and an elaborate water show, complete with lasers and fire, at a lake near the park entrance. It was about as Disney as Efteling got. In more than eight hours we had only covered a fourth of the park, but that just means we have more to explore next time. Six months later my daughters are still clamoring to return to "Fairyland." "My favorite thing was everything!" the oldest recently announced. Even my husband has been talking it up. Next time we'll book one of Efteling's sweet-looking holiday cottages instead of a hotel room, and come for three or four days. And steer clear of Monsieur Cannibale.

More Alternatives to the Mouse

Elaborate re-enactments, oversize waterslides and archeological adventures make for kid-friendly escapes around the world

Eco-Entertainment in Mexico

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Eco-Entertainment in Mexico

Kids can see everything from tropical fish to Mayan temples at Xcaret, a nature- and culture-themed park in the Riviera Maya, about 45 minutes from Cancun. Bring walking shoes as well as a swimsuit—activities include exploring archeological sites, floating down an underground river, visiting a butterfly pavilion and watching a high-flying Voladores de Papantla ritual, in which men swing from a totem-like tower ($90 a day for adults, $45 for children when purchased online, xcaret.com).

A Spectacle for the Ages in France

Who needs roller coasters when you can watch live sword fights and chariot races? Puy du Fou in western France is all about live-action shows—elaborate 30- to 40-minute performances that take guests back to the times of Vikings, knights and gladiators. (Visitors can rent translation headsets for shows.) Cinéscénie, a nearly two-hour extravaganza staged on summer evenings, dramatizes the story of the region's history using thousands of actors, hundreds of horses and fireworks. Each of the park's hotels represents a specific historical period, including Clovis Island, a Merovingian-inspired collection of stilt cottages (about $40 a day for adults, $27 for children, puydufou.com).

Living History in New England

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Living History in New England
Steve Davey

It bills itself as an "outdoor museum," but go ahead—tell the kids that Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts is a theme park. Set on 200 acres of woodlands, the village is a recreation of a small New England town from 1790 to 1840. It has more than 40 original buildings, including a working farm, craft shops and a school, all populated by costumed staff ($24 a day for adults, $8 for children, osv.org).

A World of Wet in Wisconsin

Noah's Ark in Wisconsin Dells claims to be the largest water park in the U.S., with more than 60 attractions spread over 70 acres. For the big kids there is a ¼-mile-long water coaster and a 10-story-high waterslide. Highlights for the little ones include the two wave pools and Tadpole Bay, designed to make it easy to keep an eye on tots while they splash. The park is closed for the season, but re-opens at the end of May ($33 a day for adults, $29 for children, noahsarkwaterpark.com).

I'm sorry that so many comments only talk about the racist part of your article, all though i do not agree with the accusing manner things are being commented i do agree with the general opinion that calling Monsieur Cannibal racist is a bit far fetched. The ride is indeed based on a song with the same name. The song is a french chanson and is actually quite humorous.

English translation of the lyrics at the bottom!

I will not accuse you of being racist, it's just that the US is still dealing with a lot of racism now and in recent history, i understand your vision but it's all about through which eyes you see it.

In my opinion; the more you make it a problem, the more it will become a problem. Just see it as a funny character with a funny song. I hope you will come back to the efteling and enjoy the rest of the park. Come again during the summer when the park is opened until 8p.m. on week days and until midnight on saturdays! including a lot of extra entertainment.

As promised, the lyrics of Monsieur Cannibale:

He drove his truck to Africa to chase African butterflies
The Cannibals there thought he was a spy and soon captured
him
He tried to communicate in English, Spanish, Portuguesa and
Chinese .
But when he saw them open their mouths he fearfully shouted

He showed them his lighter, his pen, his watch and photos of
his wife.
He sang an aria of Gounod, songs of Adamo, but nothing.
He showed them newspapers from Paris, no one reacted.
Desperate he showed them magazines filled with naked girls
en said

When the chief saw these magazines with the naked girls, he
laughed.
But in his head an absurd and singular idea came to him.
He himself took him to the shack that housed his harem.
Upon looking at the women rushing towards him with an
appetite he shouted.

For 8 days he remained enclosed and had to share himself but
in vain.
And though he was not a heavy man he lost 20 kilos

Until the moment arrived when the chief signalled to him and
said“Leave, take your truck and go home”
The poor man shouted “Never!”“O Mister Cannibal, I don’t want to go
Mister Cannibal, I would rather die”

Other than the silly Monsieur Cannibal comments, I think it's a great article, or rather that it's great for de Efteling to finally get some love in the mainstream U.S. press. It's one of the finest theme parks in Europe, if not the world (and I've been to 325 different amusement parks and facilities, so I can actually make a comparison).

Since Monsieur Cannibale is OBVIOUSLY based on a French song from the 60's, which, in spite of its VERY ADULT content is played there for all ages, it is very hard to seriously claim there is a connection with Dutch colonial history, without hurting the credibility of this publication.

There was a very unpleasant side to this article, the way Gisella Williams singles out certain aspects of the park, and sees this as racism. Sure, some black people are depicted as savages, since that is what the ride is about, Monsieur Cannibale is about cannibals. But, other attractions were about white guys who were pirates, and cooks, who were mostly fat. In fact, many of the waste bins are figures of fat white people, saying 'papier hier' which means 'paper here', to attract people to drop their waste there and not in the bushes or on the ground. So in a sense white people were depicted eating trash, being fat cooks, and killing innocent people as pirates. I wonder why Gisela Williams speaks only of the way BLACK people are depicted. ALL figures in the park are cartoonised, as it should be in an amusement park. In fact, this way of looking for differences and speaking shame of them, selectively, is according to my definition also racism.

Maybe next time, you can write a nice article about the native americans, who still are suffering and discriminated by you americans. Before you write something about us. LOOK IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD FIRST!

once again you see how short sighted americans really are. The rest of the world already knows the US is the most racist country on the face of the earth. I hope they take your passport people like you are dangerous with your stupid comments.

I am Dutch, I come there EVERY year, and I have NEVER heard anyone complain about that black statue before, not even my american friends! It all started together with the sinterklaas-problem from last year that caused an uproar in America. That statue has been there since 1988, and sinterklaas (the original version of Santa Claus) has been around for much longer and doesnt involve any slavery (in fact, kids learn that they are black because of all the "char in the chimney"). When you look at it in its full glory and listen to the song, you will see that it is a caricature of an african head-hunter trying to cook you in a cooking pot (and if you understand french, you will hear the dude is actually singing about naked woman too). I dont know where you made that connection with the "Dutch East India Trading Company", but the onliest connection in that whole park can be found near the "Flying Dutchman", where you can see the logo VOe (instead of VOC) and the station (which is in the style of an old-fashioned Indonesian train station).

And it seemed you havent been to "Carnival Festival". I would suggest you would avoid that one at all costs! There are hula girls there from Hawaii, african explorers, french with cheese & wine, dutch people in clogs, german beerfest, a chinese dragon and much more that can be considered "racist" in your eyes.

Please, next time get your facts straight before you write something down. I hate it when people are calling us "racist" and "slavetraders" just because they find a "caricature of a black male" offending.

Why is it racist to make a caricature of cannibals? There are also caricatures of dwarfs, fat people, white people, dead people, animals, clowns, etc. Why is it always when there is a caricature of black people everyone gets offended? If you Google "cannibals", what do you see? Why not get offended by the clowns? Because then it's funny?!? If we cannot laugh anymore about these kind of things, then life is much too serious and you should learn to relax and not take it all to personal.

The ride is called Monsieur Cannibale, which means mister Cannibal. So the depiction is not as much as that of a black person, but merely a depiction of a cartoonlike cannibal (which considering their origin would have a darker tone of skin). Cannibals originated from the West Indies. I do not think it is degrading to anyone, except cannibals perhaps.Just as I do not think that people riding the carroussel actually think eating people is OK, even though they are sitting in 'cooking pots'.Is it really wrong to depict a cannibal like this http://parkpoint.ucoz.com/Dutch/efteling/monsieur_cannibale_groot.jpg? Seriously, I caanot believe someone would seriously consider this racist or anything similar.

"Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice" means "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you"If you seek a kid-friendly, educational and entertaining adventure look at The Henry Ford or Mackinac Island, both in Michigan.

The "Pagode" in the first photo looks like Kodak's "Island in the Sky" in Cypress Gardens, with cosmetic changes. The park, which also relied in charm, was in Winter Haven, Florida. I photographed it in 1989.

Cypress Gardens opened in 1936, and was considered America's first theme park. It has since closed, and reopened as a Legoland park.

I noticed that also. Cypress Gardens was a gem. I loved the state of Florida shaped pool in the corner along with the large Banyon tree. What a loss.As for the article- Great right up until the SNL like history recidivism comments. Get over it, I'd love a picture next to the Cannibal. Big deal. Not playing that game. Next thing you know Columbus will be ostracized.

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